Base for lifting jacks



y D. ASHKENAS 2,078,989

BASE FOR LIF'IING JACKS Original Filed Jan. 51, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 35 4 ATTORNEY May 4, 1937. D. ASHKENAS 2,078,989

BASE i-"oR LIFTING JACKS Original Filed Jan, 51, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application January 31, 1935, Serial No. 4,401 Renewed December 31, 1936 6 Claims. (01. 248-346) 10 the base that a single spring will maintain the I means in either operative or inoperative positions.

It is a further object of the invention to so construct the foldable handle that the sections are held in either their operative or inoperative 15 positions by a single resilient means.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a source of illumination carried by the handle so that it will reflect a light to facilitate operation and so that the said source of illumina- 20 tion will be protected when the handle is folded and the device stored.

In the drawings:

Figure No. 1 is a prospective view of the device;

Figure No. 2 is a top plan view with the handle 25 broken away;

Figure No. 3 is a bottom plan view with the handle opened but broken away;

Figure No. 4 is a bottom plan view with the handle folded into the position that it occupies 30 when the device is to be stored;

Figure No. 5 is a side elevation showing the jack holding means in full lines in operative position and in construction lines in inoperative position;

35 Figure No. 6 is a cross-section through the base with the parts in the position shown in Figure 4;

Figure No. '7 is a cross-section showing the construction of the joint between the sections of the handle; and

40 Figure No. 8 is a fragmentary view of a modification.

The form of the invention illustrated in the drawings including base portion 20 which is shown as substantially rectangular but which may be of any desired form and which is provided with a downwardly extending runner M at each longitudinal edge which will facilitate the sliding of the device over rough or soft ground 50 when the device is being pushed into place.

A pair of elements 22 are attached to the lower face of the base portion 20. These elements are preferably U-shaped in the cross-section and the adjacent faces 23 form a channel 24 therebe- 55 tween. These faces also are provided with nibs 25 which reduce the width of the channel at the point where the nibs are provided.

A foldable handle is pivoted at 26 to the elements 22. Each of the sections, except the last, is constituted by a pair of spaced bars 2'! which 5 are formed longitudinally with a struck-out portion which forms on the outer surfaces a rib 28 and on the inner surfaces 21. channel 29. The ends of the bars of one section and the ends of the bars of the next adjacent section overlap and are pivoted together by a pin 30 which is rigidly secured to the endsof the bars that occupy the outer positions and passes freely through openings in the ends of the bars that occupy the inner positions so that the latter ends may pivotally move on the pin 30 and slide longitudinally thereon or, in other words, so that these ends of the bars may move together. A coil spring 3| surrounds the pin 39 and tends to move the ends of the bars that occupy the inner position outwardly, so that the ribs 28 thereon are engaged in the channels 29 on the inner surfaces of the ends of the bars that occupy the outer position and the sections of the handle are in their extended or in their folded positions.

The outmost section of the handle is formed essentially the same as the remainder of the sections except that the bars at the outer ends are joined either integrally or by some suitable. means. 30

Thus, when the sections of the handle are extended the springs 3| will cause the ribs 28 of the bars of one section to engage in the channel 29 of the bars of the next adjacent section and .the sections will be maintained in their extended positions. When the sections are folded the springs 3! will perform a similar function and maintain the sections in their folded positions so that the handle from the pivot point 26 may be swung as a unit into the channel 24 on the lower face of the base portion. When thus folded the handle will be forced between the nibs 25 and these latter will hold the folded handle in position for storage. The bars 21 are made of resilient material which permits the cooperation with the nibs 25 above described as on the base portion so that in cooperation with the nibs they maintain the handle in its folded and stored position.

In order that the jack may be securely held in position on the base, I have provided a pair of gripping jaws 32 which are pivoted at 33 to the sides of the base portion 20 and extend across the said base portion. These jaws are so arranged when in their operative position, that they will engage the base of the jack and hold it in a position on the base portion 20. Each of these jaws is provided with a raised portion 34 to accommodate a rib that is usually encountered on the base of the jack.

Each of the jaws 32 is provided with an extension 35 beyond the pivot point 33. A spring 36 is attached at its ends to these extensions 35 in such a manner that when the jaws are in their operative positions the spring maintains them in such positions and in contact with the jack base, this being due to the location of the point of attachment of the spring 36 to the extensions 35 on one side of the pivots 33. When the jaws, however, are swung to their inoperative positions as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 the spring 36 is swung to the opposite side of the pivots 33 and thus acts to maintain the jaws in their inoperative positions.

In the form of the handle shown in Figure 8 a bracket 31 is attached to one of the sections of the handle and on this bracket is provided a lamp socket 38 which is adapted to be swung about its pivot to be housed within the confines of the handle when the lamp is not in use and to be swung to extend from within the confines of the handle when the lamp is in use so that the latter may reflect a light and illuminate the field of operation. This lamp socket 38 is provided with an electrical cord which may be attached to the lighting system of an automobile.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a base portion, means on the base portion to hold a jack thereon, said means including a pair of jaws independently pivoted on the base portion, and a spring for holding the jaws in their operative and their inoperative positions.

2. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a pair of independently pivoted jaws for holding a jack on the base portion and common means for maintaining the jaws in inoperative and operative positions.

3. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a pair of independently pivoted jaws for holding a jack on the base portion, and resilient means for maintaining the jaws in operative and inoperative positions.

4. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a handle pivoted thereon, said handle including a plurality of folded sections, one or said sections including a pair of spaced channeled bars, a pivot extending between the ends of and secured to the said bars and the ends of the adjacent bars having ribs thereon adapted to fit into said channels, the ends of said adjacent section being pivotally mounted on said pivot and slidable thereon, and a spring on said pivot tending to force the said ribs into engagement with said channels in either their extended or folded positions of the sections.

5. In a device of the class described, a base portion, jaws independently pivoted on the base portion, a spring attached to the jaws on one side of their pivots to hold the jaws in operative positions and adapted to have its points of attachments swung to the other sides of said pivots tohold the jaws in their inoperative position.

6. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a handle including a plurality of foldable sections, one of said sections being pivoted on the base, resilient means located at the end of the last mentioned section to maintain the next adjacent section in its extended or its folded positions, and means on the base adapted to engage the sides of the pivoted section between its points of pivot and the aforesaid resilient means to hold the folded sections in position underlying the base portion.

DAVID ASHKENAS. 

